Washing machine



Feb. 4,1941,`

T. E. EKLER WASHING MACHINE Filed May 15'; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'ATTOR N EYS Feb. 4, 1941. T. E. EcKLER 2,239,533.,

WASHING MAcHINE 4 Fired u'ayi 13, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 J6 l i; "5 ;l 5:# S Il: Y 'Hill' I I||I v' I Il i Il i' E l l l 42 l, 'I l Ill u. ff 'I f www, -f I l, l 1 lg 2925 sa J s di? if 9 2= J5 J0 il ii 2a l; Il ,j l i' :I wm, fu :r a il I un f/ I J u Il 11,1 I|

3 I f, E@ @om ff@ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 4, 19.41

WASHING MACHINE Thomas E. Eckler, Fort Madison, Iowa, assignor Iowa of one-half'to Carl F.

McFarlan, Fort Madison,

Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,958

4 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, and its general object is to provide a machine for washing and rinsing clothes and the like in a manner whereby they are alternately squeezed together and separated, and that action not only forces the fluid through the clothes, but causes them to be agitated, so that all portions of the clothes will be subjected to an equal amount of fluid, thus assuring thorough and complete cleansing thereof without possibility of damage thereto, regardless of the delicacy of the fabric, as my machine is primarily designed to eliminate' the clothes twisting, pounding or rubbing action of machines now in general use.

A further object is to provide a motor driven washing machine oi the character set forth, in which the iluid is circulated for passage into and out of a clothes receiving chamber, thereby bringing about a continuous change of the fluid and that feature materially contributes toward the cleansing action of my machine.

Another object is to provide a washing machine that includes a .perforated clothes receiving chamber within a fluid chamber, and pistons or piungers mounted for movement toward and away from each other, in the clothes chamber, to bring about the squeezing. separating and agitating action of the clothes and the circulation of the duid, as above set forth.

A still furtherobject is to provide a washing and rinsing machine for clothes and the like, that includes a plurality of rinsingchambers and article receiving drawers, which together with the clothes and fluid chambers and motor driven means for operating the pistons are all housed within a casing provided with a fiat top removable `lid or cover, so that when the machine is not-in use, it can serve as a table.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character set forth. in which provision is 4made for a wrlnger thatis detachable from its actuating means, so that it can be housed within one ofthe rinsing chambers when the machine is not in use for washing and rinsing purposes, and the' wringer is operated by the motor driven means panying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding 5 parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a sectional view of my machine, taken approximately on line I-I 'of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. A

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approxi` 10 mately on line 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

. Figure 4 is a view looking toward machine.

Figure 5 is a top plan view with the cover or lid removed.-

" Figure-6 is a front view.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be. noted that the body of my machine is in the form of a rectangular casing I that includes a bottom, side and end walls and right angle reinforcing corner strips 2. The side and end walls have their lower portions cut away toward the ends thereof from below the bottom wall, to cooperate with the lower portions of the corner strips toprovide legs 3, and the top wall 4 is disposed below the upper edges of the side and end walls, as well as extends laterally from the vertical portion 5 of a right angle partition that has its horizontal or lower portion 6 extending from the adjacent side wall, as bestt shown in Figure 3. The partition likewise extends longitudinally of the casing for the entire length thereof and arranged between the vertical portion 5 and the adjacent side wall of the casing is a pair of spaced partitions I cooperating with the right angle partition to provide rinsing chambers 3.

Secured to and depending from the top wall 4 to extend longitudinally within the casing, is a receptacle that includes an outer cylinder 9 and an inner cylinder III, the latter being concentrically arranged within the outer cylinder and spaced from the cylindrical wail thereof to provide a iiuid chamber II, while the inner cylinder provides a clothes receiving chamber I2, the clothes being disposed within and removed from the chamber I2 through apassageway I3 opening through the upper portion of the outer cylinder, as clearly shown in Figures l and 3.

The closure -for the passageway is in the form oi' a lid I4 curved to follow the curvature of the' 18 one en d of the outer cylinder and has a marginal ilange I5'5Iiv formed thereon for engagement with the walls of the passageway for fitting association there-, f

spection of Figure 5. Pivoted latching means I1 is provided for the lid for cooperation with the keeper I8 for securing the lid in closed position.

The inner cylinder is centrally perforated as at I9 about the entire circumference thereof, and the ends of the inner cylinder are lcut away to provide ears 20 fixed to the ends of the outer cylinder. The spaces 2| between the ears 20 cooperate with the perforations I9 to provide for the free passage of fluid between the chambers `II and I2, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 1. Mounted for reciprocation within the inner cylinder for movement toward and away from each other is' a pair of pistons 22 of a diameter for slidably ttingthe inner cylinder, and by that construction, it will be obvious that the clothes will be squeezed together and separated. Such action not only forces the cleaning fluid or rinsing water through the clothes, but causes the latter to be agitated, and

upon movement of the pistons toward each other, the iiuid will be forced from the chamber I2, through the perforations I9 and within the chamber I2 through the open spaces 2|. Upon outward movement of the pistons, a reverse action of the fluid takes place, consequently the fluid is being continually circulated, and that feature coupled with the action of the pistons with respect to the clothes, assures thorough cleansing of the latter without damage thereto, or removal of buttons'or other fastening means therefrom. While the pistons are shown as having `flat con.- fronting faces, they may be concaved.

The pistons are reciprocated through the medium of bell crank levers 23 that are pivotally mounted at the juncture of the arms thereof on pins secured to the upper ends of upright brackets 24 fixed to and rising from the bottom wall of the casing, asbest shown in Figure 1. 'Ihe upper ends of the upright or short arms 25 of the bell crank levers are bifurcated and slotted longitudinally to receive pivot pins for the connecting rods 26 of the pistons, as clearly shown in Figure 1, while the other or long arms of the bell crank levers are directed toward each other and slotted longitudinally as at 21 from the free ends thereof for a considerable distance of their length, as clearly shown in Figure 1 for a purpose which will be later described.

Mounted in the upper ends of a pair of spaced parallel bearing brackets 28 that are secured to the bottom wall, is a shaft 29 extending transversely of the casing in the form as shown, and

'rotatably mounted on one end of the shaft 29 is a disk 30 having a headed stud 3l eccentrically secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom, with the long arms of the bell crank levers mounted on the studs 3I, through the medium of the slots 21, so that upon rotation of the disk, it will be obvious that the pistons are reciprocated toward and away from each other for the purpose set forth.

' -The shaft 29 is rotated by an electric motor 32, and for that purpose, the armature shaft of the motor is formed to provide a worm screw 33 that meshes with a worm gear 34 secured to the:

shaft 29 between the bearing brackets 28. Keyed to the shaft 29 is a clutch member 35 for con- -necting and disconnecting the disk 38 with the Ashaft 29 and the clutch member is operated by a fork 38 that is actuated by a crank rod 31' extending from the fork and through one end wall of the casing, with a knob 38 secured to its outer end, asbest shown in Figure '1. An electric cord is provided for the motor for connecting the same with a suitable source of current.

I likewise provide a wringer shaft 39 extending vertically of the casing and through the top wall thereof to terminate in a square cornered upper end for detachably receiving the wringer '40 that includes a drain hoard, as shown. The I wringer Vshaft 'is mounted within a sleeve housing 4I and a bracket 42 secured to and extending inwardly from the front wall of the casing. Fixed to the lower end of the wringer shaft 39 is a beveled gear 43 disposed in the path of a beveled gear 44 that is keyed to the shaft 29 for slidable movement thereon for disposal into and out of mesh with the gear 43. For that purpose, the gear 44 has formed thereon a clutch member 45 that has mounted therein the upper ends of a fork 46 which like the fork 36 is pivoted between spaced parallel ears 41 fixed to the bottom wall and is operated by a crank rod 48 which likewise extends through the same end wall as the crank rod 31 and the crank rod 48 has a knob 49 secured to the outer end thereof.

One side wall of the casing has an opening `therein to allow access to the interior and-the opening is preferably closed by a'sliding door 50 mounted in suitable guides, and the door is provided with a handle 5I. The latter mentioned side wall also has drawer receiving openings therein having drawer guides 52 extending inwardly therefrom and suitably supported within the casing for receiving drawers 53, there being two sets of drawers disposed upon opposite sides of the door closed opening, and the drawers are provided with handles, as shown.

In order to drain the receptacle, I provide a tube 54 connected to the bottom of the outer cylinder and extending to one end wall of the casing, with a drain valve in the form of a cock 55 secured thereto, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

A closure is provided for the upper end of the casing and it is in the form of a flanged flat top lid 56, use, the closure can be applied and then the machine can serve in the capacity as a table, it being understood that the wringer is removed from its shaft and can be stored within one of the rinsing chambers 8.

Fromthe above description and the disclosure in the drawings, it will be obvious that when 1t is desired to wash clothes and the like, they are placed within the chamber I2, after the receptacle has been partially filled with cleaning uid, thence the pistons are put into operation by movement of the crank rod 31, so that the clutch will be engaged with the disk 38, to bring about reciprocation of the bell crank levers and consequentlyY the pistons. While" I have provided rinsing chambers 8, it will be further obvious that the cleaning fluid can be drained from the receptacle and rinsing water disposed therein for rinsing. the clothes after they are washed, and when it is desired to use the wringer it is applied to its shaft and operated upon movement of the crank rod 48 for disposing the gear 44 in mesh with the gear 43.

It is thought from the foregoing description the outer cylinder and providing aclothes receiving chamber and a. uid chamber about the clothes chamber, said inner cylinder being circumferentially perforated centrally thereof and having circumferentially disposed openingsV about its ends to provide communication between the chambers, a pair of pistons mounted for reclprocation within the clothes chamber for squeezing and separating the clothes and Ato circulate fluid from one chamber to the other, access means for the clothes chamber and being in the form of a passageway between the chambers and opening through the -top oi the receptacle, a hinged and slidably mounted closure for` means for operating the the access means, and pistons.

2. A washing machlnecomprising a rectangular casing, a receptacle in said casing and including an outer imperforate cylinder extending longitudinally of the casing,an inner cylinder in the outer cylinder and providing a clothes re ceiving chamber and a iluid chamber about the clothes chamber, said inner cylinder being cir-- cumferentiallyperforated centrally thereof and having its ends cut away to provideears and spaces between the ears, said spaces .and perforations providing communication between the chambers and said ears being ilxed to the ends of the outer cylinder for securing the inner cylinder concentrically with respect thereto, means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from each other within the clothes chamber for squeezing' and separating the clothes and to circulate :duid from one chamber to the other, access means for the clothes chamber and opening through the top of the receptacle, a closure .for the access means, and means for operating the reciprocating means.

3. A washing machine comprising a casing, a receptacle in the casing, means providing a clothes receiving chamber within the receptacle and a uld chamber about the clothes chamber, said chambers communicating with each other centrally thereof and at their ends, means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from each other within the clothes chamber for squeezing and separating the clothes and to circulate fluid from one chamber to the other, access means fortle clothes chamber and opening through the top of the receptacle, a closure. for the access means, means for operating the reciprocating means and including pivotally mounted bell crank levers having one of their arms connected to the reciprocating means, motor driven means within the casing and including a disk having the other arms eccentrically connected thereto, and clutch means for the driven means.

4. A washing machine comprising a, casing, al

receptacle in the casing, means providing a clothes receiving chamber within the receptacle and a iluid chamber about the clothes chamber, said chambers communicating with each other centrally Vthereof and at their ends, pistons mounted for reciprocation toward and away fromv each other within the clothes chamber for squeezing and separating the clothes and to circulate fluid from one chamber 'to the other, access means for the clothesy chamber and opening through thetop o1' the receptacle, a closure pistons and extending through the ends of the receptacle, bell crank levers pivoted within the 'for the access means, connecting rodsfor the' casing vbetween their ends and having upright arms pivoted to the connecting rods, motor driven means including a disk, a headed stud secured to the disk and extending eccentrically therefrom, the other arms being slotted from adjacent their free ends and having the stud mounted in the slots for swinging the bell crank levers on their pivots to reciprocate the pistons, and cltch means for the motor driven means.

THOMAS E. ECKLER. 

